Malvern Hills

Malvern Hills' population grew in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in marriage, health and work life.

The population reached nearly 75,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Malvern Hills increased by 3.4%, from almost 72,200 to 74,600.

The addition of just under 2,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Malvern Hills was home to, on average, 0.92 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Malvern Hills

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Malvern Hills increased by three years, from 44 to 47 years.

This agricultural area had the highest average age in the West Midlands and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 2,800 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 15% of people in Malvern Hills are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Malvern Hills by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Malvern Hills

Malvern Hills saw the West Midlands' second-largest fall in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (87%) in Malvern Hills reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities, compared with 89% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.9% to 3.8%.

Across the region, only Herefordshire saw a greater fall in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 90% to 89%).

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer married people

The proportion of married people fell in Malvern Hills, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands, except Worcester.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 52% to 48%.

During this period, Malvern Hills overtook Solihull to become the West Midlands local authority area with the seventh-highest percentage of married people.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Malvern Hills that rented privately increased from 8.6% to 12% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 14%, while the percentage of Malvern Hills households that owned their home decreased from 75% to 72%.

The proportion of privately rented homes decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. But despite the improvement, Malvern Hills remained less healthy than the regional average 14% in the West Midlands described their health as good in 2011).

Private renting in Malvern Hills increased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Malvern Hills, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Malvern Hills residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.4% to 5.3% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69% in 2001. The percentage of Malvern Hills residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Malvern Hills decreased by 3.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Malvern Hills, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Malvern Hills working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15% to 12% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.4%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 13% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Malvern Hills decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Malvern Hills, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Malvern Hills residents that were unemployed increased from 2.0% to 3.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in two (48%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 50% in 2001. The percentage of Malvern Hills residents that were self-employed increased from 13% to 14%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.8% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Malvern Hills increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Malvern Hills, the West Midlands and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Malvern Hills, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.6% to 8.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (30%) households had only one person, compared with 28% in 2001. The percentage of households in Malvern Hills which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 40% to 36%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Malvern Hills

The number of people in Malvern Hills from the White ethnic groups increased from about 71,000 in 2001 to about 73,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the local population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 98%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the West Midlands (from 89% to 83%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Malvern Hills from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 440 in 2001 to just over 900 in 2011 (from 0.6% to 1.2%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 350 to just under 640 (from 0.5% to 0.9%).

About 150 people (0.1%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 100 in 2001 (0.2%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Malvern Hills remained close to 98%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Malvern Hills by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Malvern Hills residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.9% to 2.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.0%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 2.3% in 2001 to 2.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Malvern Hills remained close to 2.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Malvern Hills by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Malvern Hills

The number of people in Malvern Hills that described themselves as Muslim increased from just under 120 in 2001 to about 200 in 2011. This represents a change from 0.2% to 0.3% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious beliefs.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from this religious group increased from 4.1% to 6.7%, while across England the percentage went from 3.2% to 5.2%.

The number of people in Malvern Hills that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 57,000 in 2001 to just over 50,000 in 2011 (from 78% to 68%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from about 9,700 to just under 18,000 (from 13% to 24%).

About 5,400 people (7.3%) did not state their religion, up from about 5,200 in 2001 (7.3%).

The population who identified as Muslim in Malvern Hills remained close to 0.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Malvern Hills by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Malvern Hills with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 9.0% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in four (25%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 26% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Malvern Hills without children increased from 65% to 66%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

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